What happened after the Quell (My Version)
by hopelessromantic1599
Summary: What would happen if Katniss was actually pregnant during the Quell? What would happen if Katniss needed Peeta more? Would she fight more for Peeta's sanity? Over done plot but bear with me please.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so this is only my second fanfic. Tell me how it is! leave comments and please review! Thank you. Check out my first FanFic called, ****Gale's Drunk Again****. Thank you guys.**

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_"Well certainly any time together is better than no time at all, right Peeta?" Caesar Flickerman asked. "I would think so to if it weren't for the baby." Peeta answered with a tear streaming down his face. I was crying because it was the truth. I would go back into the Hunger games pregnant and knowing that Peeta was going to do everything he could to protect me from the other Victors. Suddenly I was in the launch tube waiting to go up into the arena and I saw Cinna be attacked by peacekeepers. The peacekeepers morphed into a lizard human mix and they were clawing at the securely closed tube hissing my name. _

I sat up screaming. My pajamas were soaked in sweat from my dream and I had a feeling I was screaming for Peeta. I look around my dark compartment, still breathing heavily from my nightmare I flip on all the lights and double check that the lock on the door is indeed locked. I go into the bathroom and get in the shower. Realizing that I was still in my pajamas, now sopping wet I strip and let the hot water cascade over my body. I look down and realize that my stomach is beginning to have more of a bump there. Gale still thinks that I was acting for the cameras and so does most of Panem. I wonder where Peeta is and how he is doing. I feel nauseous, my mouth was filling with saliva, and I threw up in the shower. I watched the bile wash down the drain with the pine scented body wash that was now rinsing off my body.

I wrapped myself in a robe and then sat on my bed. I must have drifted off into sleep because the next thing I knew was that I was woken up by a couple of sharp knocks on the door. "What could you possibly want at this hour Haymitch?" I asked as I open the door. "Sorry sweetheart." Haymitch tries to catch his breath he must have run down here. "The boy, He's alive." My face lit up, I rushed out of the room. "You might want something more than just a robe" Haymitch called after me. I turned around then stalked into my room grabbing some of the clothes that I managed to salvage from my old house in the Victor's village. I realized how tight the shirt was getting and the pants were not the most comfortable but they still fit and it just looked like I had gained a small amount of weight since being here, which is true.

"Prim, is he okay? Where is he?" I asked Prim as I ran into her in the hospital wing. "Room 114 be careful okay Katniss." She said as she gave a pointed look to my stomach. I nodded only 7 people knew I was actually pregnant, she was the first one to find out. I found room 114 and entered it. Peeta was strapped down at the waist the legs and his upper chest. His arms were still free. I felt hot tears slid down my face noticing the cuts and burns all over his body. Peeta looked at me his eyes were different it was like he had no Iris. I couldn't see the blue in his eyes. He was about to say something so I stop him by saying something first. "Peeta, it's okay. It's me Peeta, the real Katniss, The one who loves you, the one who would give the world to you if you asked for it. The Katniss that would never hurt you and the one who protects you even when you say you don't need it. Please Peeta stay with me." My voice catches on the last word. Peeta shudders and then his eyes go back to normal. "Always." He whispers. Peeta looks around confused and then he sees me. "Katniss! I am so glad that you are okay! Where am I though?" I laugh as new tears stream down my face.

"Peeta you're safe, we're in district 13. Oh god Peeta I thought you were never going to come back to me."

He attempts to process this, "Know what would be a great comfort? A hug, maybe a kiss."

I laugh and walk over to him. He opens his arms up I almost fall into him. "I love you Peeta." I whisper. He doesn't answer back I feel his shudder, I look up and his eyes are almost all black again. "MUTT! GET AWAY FROM ME! I WILL KILL YOU!" I began to back away but he grabs my arm then his hands are on my neck. I can feel my airway being forced closed. I gasp for breath. "Peeta! I can't hurt you ever. I love you. You know that." Peeta can't hear me. So I close my eyes and pretend to die. I am dropped on the floor. I slump into an uncomfortable unnatural position, and focus on keeping my breathing even and quiet. I hear Haymitch enter the room. I open my eyes and slowly bring my hand up to my lips to make the sign to keep quiet. His eyes flicker something of understanding. He lifts me up and over his shoulder, and carries me from the room. Once the door is closed, Haymitch sets me down. "You okay sweetheart" he asks

"Yeah he didn't do any permanent damage. He is strong but got weaker when he was with the Capitol. And I played dead before he could injure me. Bruises are probable." I ramble wiping my clammy hands on my pant legs. I begin to walk back toward the door. "You can't go back in there." Haymitch calls after me but I ignore him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Peeta, we are going to play a game okay." I tell him gingerly.

"What game, Katniss?" he says as he catches his breath from nearly strangling me to death. His eyes resemble normalcy.

"It's called real or not real. You ask me a question about the memories you have and I will answer them with the truth." I say. Peeta nods his head

"Real or not real, your favorite color is green?" He asks

"Real. And yours is orange, soft orange like a sunset."

We continue the game for nearly four hours until I have to go eat breakfast. He considers even the smallest amount of information for a long time. I grab my tray and my food and sit down at the table reserved for the Hawthorne's, the Everdeens, the O'dair's, and now the Mellarks. Even though there is only one Mellark it still makes me smile to see that Peeta would be eating with me when he was better. I notice Gale as he glances at the little electronic plaque. He gives a small grunt to the names on there.

"How's he anyway?" Gale asks as he bites into the burrito thing that was given for breakfast.

"He's been better." I reply barely picking at my food.

"Has he hurt you yet, or even tried?" He asks staring at me with such an intensity that makes me nervous.

"No," I lied. "He does have flash backs though, he asks questions when they are over."

"What kind of questions?" Gale asked slightly more relaxed, but I know that he can still see right through you if you aren't careful.

"We play a game, Real or Not Real. He asks mostly simple questions. Where is he? How did we find him? What my and his favorite color is? Things like that nothing to terrible." I answer and finish half my wrap; I knew I couldn't eat much more of it because I was going to be sick here soon.

"Okay, do you think it would help if I went to talk to him?" He asks suddenly.

I shake my head. "Not yet, he still thinks that you are trying to steal me away from him. Maybe in a few weeks."

He nods and gets up to leave, before he does, he whispers in my ear. "I am still trying to steal you." I leave the tray there and go back to Peeta's room. He is sleeping so I pull the cot out from the cabinet and a pillow. I lie down and sleep.

_I am running through the woods, someone is chasing me. But not with the intention to hurt me but more like we were playing. I climb a tree and then I hear the rustling of leaves as the person follows me. I look and see that it was Gale. He manages to catch up with me and we sit on a branch together. Then he eyes turn all black and blood begins to come from his eyes, nose and mouth. His voice changes from friendly to mean and demented. He punches me in the face. My balance is thrown off. I fall, I see Gale's face turn into Snow's. I scream then I hit the ground blacking out._

I wake up panting and see that Peeta is trying to get out of the restraints so he can come over here. His eyes are the normal blue but they are filled with concern, worry, and love. "Peeta, it's okay it was just a bad dream." I say as I get off the floor, and walk over to him. He touches my hair as a reassuring gesture. "You have dreams about the hunger games, when I was gone, and Snow. How it could have been worse. But when you wake up you know it's okay because everybody is still alive." Peeta holds my hand now. "Real or not real?" My eyes had been studying the floor and my ill-fitting shoes. I look up slowly and say, "Real, I know it's okay when I wake up because you're still alive."

In later days Peeta asks me more about our relationship, I answer him about the first games and how I had liked him and then about the Victory tour and how I began to love him and then he asked me a question that I hadn't thought he would. "We slept in the same bed every night but we never did anything more than sleep, Real or not Real?" I felt a tear slide down my cheek. "Not real, we slept in the same bed every night but during and after the victory tour we did more than sleep." I blushed profusely upon admitting that we had slept together, more than once. "So we had sex?" Peeta asked. I nodded my head shyly. "I thought so, it wasn't shiny like when you tried to kill me in the first arena. Real or Not real?" I smiled at Peeta, he remembered, the long nights and how we would comfort each other, now that we are past that awkward question. "Not real, I risked my life to save you in the first and second arena, multiple times." I stressed the word multiple.

Over the next few weeks I had only ever left Peeta's bedside to go eat and to use the bathroom. We were sitting together on his bed; I managed to persuade the doctors that he was stable enough to take the restraints off of him. He would still have flash backs but they were getting further apart. I was watching Peeta draw when he suddenly stared at my stomach. The bump was bigger but easily disguisable in a large sweater, which I had taken off because I was hot. Then I remembered I was wearing the tightest shirt I owned. "You are pregnant, Real or not real?" Peeta asked.

"Real." I didn't explain.

"It's Gale's baby, Real or Not real?" He asked, there was agitation in his voice.

"Not real, the baby is yours, I was pregnant when we went into the games the second time, I only ever slept with you." I said hoping that would make it clear that the baby was his.

"How many months are we?" He asks.

"I would say just about to hit the three month mark," I smiled. "Trust me you didn't miss much, just me throwing up all the time."

Peeta seemed to consider this information, then without hesitation he grabbed my hand and held it gently. I slowly moved his hand to my belly, he gasped when his hand touched the fabric of my shirt. Ever so gently he began to trace patterns and rub my belly. I could tell that the baby was happy because it moved, only a little, not so much to startle Peeta, but just enough to tell me that it was happy and alive. I was happy too, he had said WE not you but we, showing that he is still in some form of commitment with me and our child.

Gale had been to see Peeta a few times and now they were no longer trying to kill each other but slowly they built an alliance of sorts. I could see it between them whenever Gale would talk to Peeta, I was in the observation area, watching to make sure that nobody died. Delly Cartwright and Prim had been to see Peeta as well. Those three were immediate friends. The doctors were pretty afraid of him so they made sure that I was always in the room when they spoke to him or gave him medicine.

I was about 5 months by now and Peeta and I were discussing names earlier but I had to go eat. "I'll be back soon." I said as I kissed his lips very lightly and gently. Then I left.

"How's it going Catnip? You and lover boy having fun together?" I heard Gale ask as I sat down at the table across from him.

"I'm good and you?" I said into my soup, as I rolled my eyes. I wasn't in the mood for this _playful_ banter.

"Fine. The army needs new recruits; I was thinking that you could join." He says as Prim sits next to me.

"Can't join they won't let me in my condition." I said slurping down another spoonful of soup. Prim is glaring at him I can tell.

"What condition? Mentally Unstable?" He gaffed. "They let me in didn't they? You can totally join."

"No I can't now drop the subject." I said firmly staring at him; I could tell that my eyes would look as though I thought that he was prey. Prim squeezed my hand in a reassuring gesture.

"What condition Catnip?" He asked more forcefully.

I simply removed my sweater mumbling something about being hot. He wouldn't notice until I stood up, but he continued to stare at me. I finished my soup. "Gale would you please walk me back to Peeta's room. I still have things that I need to discuss with you. Bye Prim. You know where I'm at if you need me okay." Prim nodded and Gale got up and made his way to the doors. I held my sweater in front of me until I was walking side by side with Gale. I looked back to see Prim giving me an encouraging smile.

"What'd you want to discuss Katniss?" He said roughly without even looking my way.

"Gale." I stopped. "Gale look at me, what do you see?" I uncomfortably shifted in my shoes.

He looked at my face, his eyes travelled downwards and stopped on my now noticeable stomach. His mouth gaped open. He tried to make words but it didn't happen.

"Gale. I'm pregnant. Remember that interview before the quarter quell when Peeta said that I was pregnant. He wasn't lying." I said as he looked to my face panicked.

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**Okay you guys I know it's been awhile but I left my laptop at school and I had a four day weekend not to mention I have been slammed with homework. Oh well. Okay so I need more Ideas, please Review. If you have any suggestions will you put them in a review, my computer dosn't like the comment section for some reason. Also if I need to fix anything let me know. Okay. Chapter 3 will be up shortly. Hopefully. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so here is chapter 3, I will try to have chapter 4 up either on christmas as a present to ya'll who read and review. O r right after christmas. It depends on how crazy today and tomorrow are. Thank you LovePercabeth4ever for reviewing. I hope you enjoy and have a Merry Kwan-Hanna-Mas! (Kwanza, Hannukah, and Christmas all mixed together.) Love ya'll.**

**~S**

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"Gale, I'm pregnant." I said as he looked to my face panicked.

"He forced you to sleep with him didn't he? How many times did he do that to you?" Gale asked as his rage began to build.

"Peeta did not force me to do anything, it was voluntary. And this happened because the condom broke." I said gesturing to my stomach.

Gale nodded and took off in the direction of the archery range. I continued my walk in silence; I got strange looks from people as I passed them in the hall ways. I didn't bother to put on my sweater because I knew it would come off again once I got to Peeta's room. I opened the door to the hospital and continued my silent walks with the stares of people lingering on me. "Peeta?" I called out as I entered the hospital room. I heard the water running in the bathroom so I guessed he was showering. I curled up on the cot that was in here for my use.

I sat tied to a chair, Snow was coming at me, and he had heated a fire poker to a bright red. I screamed as he pressed the hot metal into my cool skin. The smell of burnt flesh was enough to make me want to vomit. "Katniss I want to know everything." Snow said as he pulled out a small knife. "Katniss." He said as if he was trying to make me do something.

"Katniss."

"KATNISS!"

Peeta was shaking me trying to wake me up. "You were having a nightmare and kept calling my name. Do you want to take about it?" I shake my head no and then Peeta gets up and sits next to me. I crawl into his lap a sob. He just holds me and tells me everything will be fine. He lifts me up and carries me to the twin size bed that issued Peeta once he could sit up by himself, and his restraints were removed. He laid me down then lies down next to me. I curl up into his chest, he places one arm on my waist and his other arm is protectively touching my stomach. I suppose I drift into a light sleep. I wake up and see that Peeta is playing with my hair. "Peeta." I whisper and get closer to him. He pulls me and now I am lying on top of him basically. We stay like this for probably another 15 minutes.

Two doctors come into the room making me roll off of Peeta so that I can speak to them. "Ms. Everdeen we would like to tell you and Mr. Mellark that, Mr. Mellark is now free to go out and eat, we can also assign you a couples' compartment. You won't have anything on your schedules except exercise, and meal times." I smile so brightly at Peeta that he can't help but smile back. By now it will have been nearly a month and a half since his last physical episodes. Once the doctors leave I give Peeta a quick kiss and dress.

"Peeta, come on it will be fine nothing is going to happen we are just going to eat. We have the same table so if anything does happen then I will be there to pull you back." I say as Peeta grasps my hand tightly, I pull him down the many halls. Many people stare but mostly at my stomach, which has grown so much that it's like walking around with a watermelon in my shirt.

"You're fine." I say as Peeta sits next to me at our table. So far his hand hasn't left mine since we left the hospital compartment.

"Hey Katniss! Wow it feels like I haven't seen you forever! Hey Peeta look at you man, feeling better?" Finnick says as he sits down across from me and Annie sits across from Peeta.

"Hey Finnick. Hi Annie. How are you guys?" I ask as Peeta grips my hand a little tighter. I see Peeta hanging on; I can tell he is fighting off another episode. I hold my hand up to Finnick and Annie to tell them to shut up. "Peeta, look at me. It is not real. Stay with me Peeta." I tell Peeta right before I kiss him. Peeta shudders a little and I can tell he is back when he whispers, "Always."

"Wow steamy." Finnick says, I see Finnick's face contort into pain and I can tell that Annie just stomped on his foot hard. Peeta turns to me.

"Finnick, Annie, and you are mutts, and you are trying to kill me, you have always tried to kill me, because you hate me. Real or not real?" Peeta asks.

"Not real. Finnick, Annie, and I are trying to help you; we have been protecting you since before the first games that we were in." I say my heart a little hurt because he thinks that I hate him. I notice Finnick and Annie staring at me, and then I see that Gale, Prim, and my mother have all joined us. Peeta answers a few questions but not many, once he has finished eating we get up and I help Peeta clear his tray. As we pass by our table I hear Finnick say, "Wow, you guys know how far along she is? She looks like she's going to pop!" I give Finnick the middle finger as I pass by. "About 6 months by now." Gale's gruff, fading voice says.

"That was a disaster." Peeta says as he puts away his clothes in our new compartment.

"Nah, I have had worse lunch experiences. One time before you got here I was eating lunch and talking to Gale and Prim and then I just got up and ran to the nearest garbage can. You know what I did there? I threw up like four times, and then I passed out from exhaustion. Prim had to tell Gale later that I had the flu. I spent three weeks in bed, even though I was perfectly fine. All because Gale was worried about me and my health." I say this laughing, and Peeta starts laughing. I gasp.

"What's wrong Katniss?" Peeta asks.

"The baby just kicked!" I nearly scream, half with terror, half with joy. Peeta comes over to me and I place his hand over where it just kicked. She did again but only after I laughed with nervousness. "She responds to you laughing!" Peeta says. "How do you know that it's a girl?" I ask truly curious as to why he would think that even if I don't know myself. "Call it… Intuition." I end up giggling, that starts Peeta giggling then soon it sounds like someone had dropped a bomb full of laughter. Peeta kept tickling me and I kept tickling him.

The new compartment is a little bit better than Peeta's hospital room. We have a full size mattress and they even had enough thought to place a crib in the compartment for when the baby comes. There is still a bathroom and there are now two dressers instead of one. Peeta begins to unpack things into the dressers. I notice that his hands stop when he reaches something in my box of belongings.

"Peeta?" I say uncertainly. He breathes deeply as he unwraps something.

"You kept it." He says with a hint of happiness and sadness in his voice. I look at what he is holding and see the pearl he gave me during the quarter quell. I nod.

"Yeah, I kept it. I kept me sane when you were gone." I say Peeta carefully puts the small pearl away in the parachute. He turns around and pulls me into a hug. I hug him back pulling him as close to me as I possibly could.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everybody! Sorry for not updating in a while, and I know that this dosn't make up for it that is why there are two new chapters instead of one! Just to let you know, REVIEWS= FASTER UPDATES. Enjoy!**

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I shifted uncomfortably in my seat at the breakfast table. Peeta noticed me moving and looked at me with worried eyes. It was only the second week that he had been eating in the cafeteria, and he still fought the occasional flashbacks when a person appeared suddenly or was being too rambunctious.

"Hey, you okay?" Peeta asks as he gently rubs my back in a small circular motion.

"Yeah she just kicked my ribs I'm okay though." I said and I shoveled more food in my mouth. I was really hungry lately and I couldn't get enough food. District 13 also doesn't want to give into pregnant people's cravings; if I didn't have Sae here there would be a lot of people with an arrow or two through their heads.

"Katniss! You look so beautiful! I hope I look like that in six months." Annie says.

"Wait, Annie are you and Finn pregnant?" I ask as she sits down.

Giving me a slight nod she begins talking to me about the morning sickness and being pregnant and things like that. Peeta gives his comments every now and then but for the most of it he speaks to Finn about the cravings and how in the middle of the night you have to sneak into the kitchen to find some type of sweet, salty, and sour food. Annie soon has me laughing, but like me and Peeta, Annie and Finnick never let go of one another.

"Oh Annie, I know you will be a great mom." I say as I begin the slow journey of getting up from the table.

"I know right now that you are a great mom Katniss. Where are you headed to now?" Annie asks.

"The classrooms because Peeta is helping out with the art program and I am going to be either reading a book or trying not to whack little kids with my giant belly." I say turning to the side in my seat. I need Peeta to pull me up now but oh well.

"Wow, Katniss I can see you helping a kid with their art project, and they don't do it right so you just whack the kid with your stomach." Finnick says, getting laughs from Annie, Peeta and I. I feel something warm and wet drip down my shirt, looking down I see that laughing caused me to knock over the rest of my soup onto my shirt.

"Damn it! Now I have to change my shirt." I say while I try and mop up my shirt front.

Peeta and I approach our compartment door. "You didn't have to come with me." I say, unlocking the door and opening it for Peeta to walk though first.

"It's fine, I would rather us both be late than have a heavily pregnant women fall and be injured while I am away." Peeta says. I turn to my dresser and search for a new shirt to wear. I here Peeta's breathing hitch and I turn to see him fighting off another flashback, sitting against the wall.

"Peeta, stay with me." I say thinking that this would do the trick. Instead I trip on one of Peeta's outstretched legs and while I didn't fall, I whacked my head on the wall really hard.

"Katniss." A voice drifts through the fogginess of my mind.

"Katniss!" it says again, I recognize the voice as Peeta's. Then I remember where I am, and what happened. I slowly open my eyes and see a relieved looking Peeta.

"Did I? I mean… Oh God I hurt you." Peeta says putting his face in his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here is chapter 5 enjoy!**

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_"Did I? I mean… Oh God I hurt you." Peeta says putting his face in his hands._

"Peeta no, you didn't hurt me, I was crouched down by you and when I tried to get up I hit my head on the wall. If you haven't noticed, I am a bit off balance here." I say struggling to sit up, I feel a warm liquid come down my face, I in all my clumsiness cut my forehead open, and managed to knock myself out. What a great day it has been!

"Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" He asks peeking through his fingers like a little kid.

"Peeta. You didn't hurt me, now get me a towel so I can wipe up the floor." I say struggling to get up. Peeta helps me and then cleans up the floor and put a band aid on my forehead.

"Come on Peeta we have children to help out." I say as I pull Peeta with me out the door. He chuckles a little. I stand outside the classroom door with Peeta.

"Peeta, how old are these kids?" I ask feeling my nerves jitter, and the baby kick. I place my hand on my belly and I feel her calm down a little.

"They are eleven and up. Hey don't worry. You will be fine." Peeta says pulling me into a hug, he kisses the top of my forehead and I hug him back sinking into his embrace. Someone clears their voice behind us. We break our embrace and turn to see a small girl, who reminds me of Rue standing there.

"I am Kelly, Ms. Janie asked me to tell you that you can come in the class whenever you are ready." The small girl said and she turned, and went back into the classroom.

"Let's do this." Peeta says grabbing my hand as he pushes open the door to the class room. I feel eyes on me and I want it to stop. I hate being the center of attention and I hate being watched. The instructor looks to be young, only 24 or so. I want to run out of the classroom and back to my compartment, I want to curl up in a ball and talk to my baby and tell her she is loved. I want to do anything but be here now, because I have to be an example and I have already done that enough.

"This is Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen- Mellark. They are here to help you out with this week's art assignment." Ms. Janie says, as she gestures to Peeta and I.

"We prefer it if you just call us by our first name, they are pretty easy to remember. I am bread and she is the root topping that you put on the bread. So this week we will be working on a landscape of nature." Peeta banters then begins to explain the assignment; canvases are passed out, along with paint and other supplies. I listen as Peeta tells the kids that today is mainly about sketching what they are going to paint. He also says something like we get to look over the sketch and give constructive criticism. The kids begin to sketch on a paper and they also brainstorm. I feel Peeta come up next to me.

"You okay? I mean do you think that you will be fine to do this today, with the baby and then the girl and Annie's announcement, and the accident?" Peeta asks as he rubs my back gently.

"Yeah I will be fine just expect an onslaught of nightmares tonight." I say, than I break away and begin to rom the room. I stop by one kid's desk he looks to be a little younger than Prim.

"Do you know what you are going to draw?" I ask as I look over his shoulder at his sketch.

"I was thinking maybe some Mockingjays flying from the trees and disappearing into the sky." He says as he sketches a Mockingjay with its wings spread in mid-flight.

"That sounds awesome, I bet if you ask Peeta can give you some tips on how to shade the wings so it looks like the wings are glossy and the sun is shining off of it." I say and walk away; I want the kid to have help. I know nothing about art.

The rest of the afternoon is filled with helping and giving suggestions. At three school is finally over and we get to go home. Thank god, my feet are swollen and aching and my back hurts really badly from baby kicking me in the spine all day.

"Peeta come on I want to go home." I say tugging on Peeta's arm like a kid.

"Hold on, I have to get some more paint, paper and canvas." He says gathering stuff together in his hands. I end up carrying the paper, it was the lightest.

"Peeta come help me in the bath." I say lovingly but demanding. Peeta does it without protest, he slips my socks off my feet and helps me undress the rest of the way.

"So Peeta, Everdeen- Mellark?" I ask sinking into the bubbles and Peeta's touch as he begins to massage my swollen feet.

"Yeah about that, the school didn't want you to come unless we were 'married' so I said that we were so that you could come." Peeta says tickling my feet.

"Why didn't they want me to come?" I laugh out.

"Mainly because you are obviously pregnant and they still need to instill morals in the children of district 13. Their words not mine. I promise, I don't even care that we aren't married because we love each other." Peeta says, he undresses and then gets in the tub with me. We sit facing each other and we talk until the water gets cold. Peeta washes my hair, and we get out. I fall asleep with a grin on my face.

_I am chasing after Rue, she can't hear me call, then I realize that I can't hear me at all, I am as mute as an Avox. I still chase I see Rue fall into the next and a spear impale her. She turns on me and rips the spear from her chest and shoves it through mine. I see her fall to the ground as I fall. Everything goes black, when I wake up I see I am at Snow's mansion, and I am dancing with Plutarch, he tells me it starts at mid-night then I am dancing with Snow the smell of blood and roses is suffocating. I choke, he suddenly turns into Gale, then my mom, then Prim, then Haymitch, and finally Peeta. They take turns beating me until midnight where I am thrown into the games and all of the perils of the games are coming down on me at once. I scream, and run but the poison mist is faster, Mags appears then pulls me into the mist. I choke and sob and scream then finally I stop moving and it is over._

"Oh Katniss thank goodness you woke up, I thought that I was going to have to give you my sedation medicine. You were thrashing so violently that I thought you would hurt yourself. Do you want to talk about it?" Peeta asks, I shake my head and curl into a ball in his lap, well the best ball I can manage with a six month pregnant belly. He holds me tightly; we both know that sleep won't come again.

The next few days are a pain in my arse. We help out in the classrooms and that makes me super tired. I hate setting examples for people, especially young kids. I mean for god's sake I am a 19 year old girl who is 7 months pregnant and I'm not even married yet! I groan and roll over to try and get up; I do with a lot of difficulty. Once I am up I decide to forget about the shoes and go with slippers, it doesn't matter any way. I can't reach my feet. I shuffle through the hallway to the cafeteria where I see Peeta, Finnick, and Annie eating.

"Nice to see you alive." Finnick says with an arrogant grin.

"You try walking with this and then you will understand my exhaustion." I growl gesturing to my stomach.

"Morning. I got you food." Peeta says giving me a peck on the lips and points to the food on the table next to him. I grab his hand and sit next to him, never letting go, too afraid to let go. I eat without saying much, Annie and I talk a little about how she is doing with her second month of pregnancy.

"Katniss, you'll never believe this but, I am starting to show!" Annie bubbles, I haven't seen her this excited since she found out that she was pregnant. Peeta's grip tightens on my hand and I see what he is looking at. Gale is approaching the table with Prim in tow.

"Annie that is so great!" I say back to her Gale and Prim sit down. I sigh, and shift so I can stop being kicked in the bladder.

"Katniss, is she kicking? Can I feel?" Prim asks turning slightly red.

"Of course Prim." I say as I place her hand on the spot that little miss was just kicking. Prim squeals as she feels her niece kick her hand.

"Katniss this is so exciting! You and Annie are having babies and with the ones you love the most!" Prim exclaims as she takes a bite of her food. Gale's face goes dark at this comment; I don't really care because the statement is true. I also don't care because at that moment loud sirens blare and red lights start flashing.

"Come on, I'll take you to the bunker." Gale grumbles as he gets up. Annie, Finnick, and Prim follow him. I need help getting up from the stupid bench, so Peeta and I are last. When Peeta and I make it down to the bunker, the compartment that is assigned to us already has Annie, Finnick, my mom, and Prim in it.

"Who is sleeping where?" I ask, there is no way in heck that I will be able to sleep in the bunk beds. They are carved into the wall and they remind me to much of the mines in district 12.

"Prim, you can have one of the top beds, Mrs. Everdeen you can have one of the bunks, Finnick and Annie can share a bunk, and Katniss and I will sleep on the ground." Peeta says as he pulls down one of the thin mattresses from a bunk and lays it down on the floor. I am really glad he sensed the nervousness in my voice. We all sleep that night but Peeta and I keep waking each other up with our nightmares. Eventually we drift off to sleep.

"Aw, they look so cute! I wish I could take a picture." Prim's voice breaks through my sleep filled world. Not wanting to get up I snuggle closer to Peeta, then a sharp pain goes through my back and stomach.

"Oww. Peeta wake up." I nearly cry. As I struggle to sit up. Finnick offers his hand, and I take it.

"What's wrong? Are you and the baby okay?" Peeta asks sleepily.

"I don't know," then another pain tears through my stomach I cry out, "It hurts Peeta! Make it stop."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here is chapter six please Read and Review. I need some feedback please.**

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_"Oww. Peeta wake up." I nearly cry. As I struggle to sit up. Finnick offers his hand, and I take it._

_"What's wrong? Are you and the baby okay?" Peeta asks sleepily._

_"I don't know," then another pain tears through my stomach I cry out, "It hurts Peeta! Make it stop."_

Peeta gets up and picks me up and carries me to the medical center bridal style. He explains what is going on and the doctors swarm. The pain keeps coming but it slowly subsides as they give me medicine.

"Ms. Everdeen you were going into premature labor, we were able to prevent it but you need to be really careful. Absolutely no unnecessary stress." One of the many doctors tells me. I nod and Peeta helps me get back into my clothes. I lean on Peeta as we walk out of the medical center. When we walk through the door to our bunker compartment, everybody breathes a sigh of relief and then the questions start. I ignore everyone and sit in the corner curled up with my hands tightly clenched over my ears. Peeta puts me in his lap and rubs my back and strokes my stomach. I eventually calm enough to take my hands off my ears. I wrap them around his neck instead and pull him closer.

"Peeta, I'm not ready to be a mom." I whisper so only he can hear.

"I know baby, but we will get through this together okay." Peeta whispers back. I notice that everyone is on the other side of the room talking in hushed whispers.

"What happens if she hates us?" I ask Peeta quietly.

"She won't hate us, especially with a mom like you." Peeta says. I nod and hug Peeta's chest tighter, he holds me and at some point I eventually drift to sleep. I wake up on the full sized mattress that Peeta and I share in the bunker. Prim sits on her bed petting her cat absent- mindedly. I sit up and then she notices that I have woken up.

"Katniss, Peeta told us what happened I hope you don't mind." Prim says as she gets up and hugs me.

"No it's fine you guys needed to know. Where is everyone?" I manage to say through tears that I have been trying to hold back.

"They went to get food rations for everyone. Peeta wanted to check on Greasy Sae." Prim says hugging me again, I hug her back. I try to get up but I am pushed back into a sitting position, "Not until Peeta's back." She says, I nod and the next hour is filled with talk between us, and eventually some laughter. My daughter that I came so close to losing began to kick and squirm making me extremely uncomfortable.

"Katniss you're awake!" Peeta says as he walks through the door.

"For like an hour. How's Sae?" I ask as he slides down next to me and rubs my belly.

"She's good, tired but good. How are you and baby?" He asks as I crawl into his lap.

"She's been kicking non-stop for the last hour." I sigh as Peeta's steady fingers work out the knots in my back; effectively relieving all of my tension and stress. Finnick and Annie come back into the bunker compartment with food rations.

"I see that the one who shoots lives to see this day." Finnick says, earning a whack on the back of the head from Annie.

"Do you know what is weird, I haven't felt any bombs, no shaking of the ground, nothing." I say finding it odd because I am usually super sensitive to that stuff.

"It's because we are so far underground that the bombs, even if they are using the ground piercing ones, can't reach us. They can't even shake us." Prim says.

We consider this information as we eat our M.R.E. (Meals Ready to Eat.) I notice that my mom is not eating with us.

"Is mom helping out in the medic station?" I ask, handing my empty plate to Peeta who takes it and throws it away.

"Yeah she is, a couple of soldiers got wounded while they were doing a check on the perimeter." Prim says throwing her own plate away.

We all settle down a little later that is if you can call trading in awkward half conversations for sleep settling down.

_I hear laughter, looking around I see I am in the meadow there is no more fence. Prim and I chase each other playing a game while our father and mother sit by laughing and enjoying us. We have a picnic and together we talk and watch the clouds. To Prim most of them either looks like a goat or a cat. While I find trees and scenes of nature in each cloud. Prim and I end up chasing each other again, but then she vanishes as well as my mother and my father. The sky becomes overcast and the world turns dark, the wind begins to pick up and leaves swirl around me. I can't see anyone, the grass catches on fire then I am engulfed in flames, but they are not burning me but transforming me. I am no longer the seven year old girl that I started this dream out as; I look like I do now. The flames extinguish then I am dropped into a pit. I land on something softly. I look down and see it's a body. I recognize the body, Peeta's blank eyes stare at me. Next to him is Prim and my father. I scream as they begin to pull me into the pit further. _

I sit up, hearing my own screams, I begin to cry. Peeta holds me and calms me. I cry into his shirt, he doesn't even seem fazed by the wet shirt that he has just acquired.

"Peeta did you…" I blubber out.

"Yeah Katniss, I had nightmares to." He says stroking my hair calming me down.

A voice on the loud speaker comes on telling us that the bombs have stopped and that we can return to our normal living compartments. We pack up the things that we have acquired and return them to the supply station. The new compartment that Peeta and I have been assigned to looks exactly the same as our old one; there is even a small crib. The next few days pass uneventfully. Prim and Mom are still working in the hospital, Finnick and Annie have a schedule to follow, Gale is still ignoring me and Peeta, and Peeta and I help out where we can. Typically we spend time in our room only ever venturing out when one of us gets restless. Peeta and I talk about everything, baby names, how we will live in district 12 after the war, sometimes we just laugh. We don't cry unless one of us wakes up from a nightmare, instead of breaking down and crying we laugh. My ever growing stomach looks silly on my small frame, but Peeta says the baby lines and my belly look beautiful. I pull him back from a flashback every now and then but other than that we only ever leave the compartment to visit people and eat.

"Peeta, I'm bored." I say putting down the book that I had been reading earlier, but lost interest in it about an hour ago and I have been trying to figure out if making paper airplanes from the emergency pamphlet is a waste. It is an emergency, I'm bored.

"We could do something. Like a picnic, in the woods." Peeta suggests, absently coloring in a cake design for Prim's birthday.

"Let's do that. I'm sure that we can get some food from Sae and at least two hours in the woods alone." I say allowing Peeta to pull me up from the bed.

Somehow I manage to convince the guards to let me and Peeta out of the compound. I begin to feel myself revive a little bit at a time, my lungs feel lighter and the air feels cleaner. I no longer have a sense of melancholy hanging over me like a dark cloud. Peeta begs me to sing so I do, I sing the Hanging Tree. The Mockingjays trip over each other to start the melody, and for the next half an hour you can catch notes of my father's song in the air. We find a small river, and because I am naturally opposed to everything that is safe I decide to swim in it. There is no possible way for me to catch a cold the water feels luke-warm and the day is hot.

"Katniss, you shouldn't do this. You could get sick." Peeta says trying to prevent me from stripping down to my underwear and bra.

"Peeta, the current isn't strong and I am literally roasting out here. You should join me." I say letting a sigh of relief out as I slip into the water. Peeta looks at me and then the water weighing his options I suppose.

"Peeta if you don't get in the water I will throw you in." I threaten taking a deep breath I go under letting the cool water surround me like a cocoon of sorts. When I come up Peeta is in his under wear and is slipping into the water as well.

"I knew you would come in." I murmur against his lips, pulling him in for a kiss.

"Katniss not here." Peeta says feeling my legs wrap around his waist. I sigh and unhook myself from him and swim around a little. While Peeta is distracted by a group of butterflies near the bank, I swim up to him silently and pull his legs out from underneath him. He gasps as he goes under. When I surface I can't help but laugh until my sides hurt while Peeta remains with a frown gracing his beautiful face. Only then do I realize that his knuckles have turned white and his fingers are digging into his palms.

"No, not here, not now it was so perfect." I hear Peeta gasp out as he tries to fight off another episode. I couldn't agree more with his statement.

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**I want to say thank you to all of my reviewers and the people who have helped me out with my endeavor. I started school again today so I will try to have updates up as soon as possible but they will probably happen over the weekends from now on. **

**Thank you to riverknowshisname for your kind and helpful advice and messages. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Hey Guys so here is chapter 7! Sorry it took so long but I have school and it gets in the way of alot of things. Hope you like and please Review._**

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_When I surface I can't help but laugh until my sides hurt while Peeta remains with a frown gracing his beautiful face. Only then do I realize that his knuckles have turned white and his fingers are digging into his palms._

_"No, not here, not now it was so perfect." I hear Peeta gasp out as he tries to fight off another episode. I couldn't agree more with his statement_

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I get to Peeta as quickly as I can, but to no avail. His flashbacks start in on him full force. I see blood swirl in the water as Peeta digs his nails into his palms. I hug him as tight as I can and say soothing things, I even try kissing him. He is barely holding on so he won't hurt me. I just hold him as well as I can with my large belly. His failing turns into all out fighting and his mumbles turns to yelling. I hold him until his thrashing becomes too much and I am afraid for our baby's safety. I get out of the water and stand on the shore. I sing, on the off chance that it might help him; sometimes it help the baby calm down and she is half him. I sing the hanging tree and he calms a little, then I remember a song from the first day of school when I wore my hair in two braids instead of one and I wore a plaid dress.

Half way through the song, Peeta stops thrashing and he calms all the way down. I finish the song and Peeta just stares at me.

"The Valley Song. I thought you said you didn't remember that one." He breathes and before I have a chance to say anything back his eyes close and he falls back into the water. I wait for him to come up, but he doesn't. I dive into the water and pull his head out. He isn't breathing. I pull him up to the shore the best I can and I begin to perform CPR. The way Finnick taught me after the Quell. Peeta gives a cough and I get off of him, he sits up and throws up water for nearly a minute and a half. By this point I have silent tears streaming down my face and my nose is running like crazy.

"Peeta." I breathe a sigh of relief.

"That was the worse flash back I have had since the first day I was here." Peeta says breathing hard, "I remember you singing what happened after that?"

"You passed out into the water and I had to save you." I sob out.

"But that is okay right? It's what we do, we save each other, real or not real?" He asks, his face conveys confusion and pain. I nod my head and wipe away my tears beginning to calm down a little.

"Real. We save each other because no one else can." I say. He nods and thinks about my answer as he so often does, I give him time to think about it but after nearly an hour has passed and we have thoroughly dried I decide that people are going to start wondering where we are.

"Peeta get dressed we have to go back now." I say as I pull my really stretchy shirt over my head.

"Katniss, I'm sorry that I had an episode here. It was so perfect but the stream and seeing you in it reminded me of the first games we were in and the memories I have of those are really messed up right now. I'm sorry." Peeta says looking down at his feet that rested next to the water.

"It's okay Peeta, I understand. But you were strong and held on the entire time that's why you passed out because of the mental exhaustion of the day." I say and offer my hand to help him get up, even though I can barely stand on my own.

"Peeta we have to act like your episode never happened. I don't want you to be separated from me because you are seen as a threat to me and our baby. Because you aren't a threat to anyone, especially not me." I say leaning on Peeta further because my legs feel like jelly after saving Peeta and swimming. We make it back to the compartment and pass out together.

THUD THUD THUD THUD.

Comes through the door. Peeta is up and at the door within the first three knocks. He opens the door and reveals Johanna and Haymitch standing at the door looking completely calm.

"What?" I growl as I attempt to sit up but quickly give up on that venture. Peeta comes and pulls me up.

"Good morning to you too. We came to check on you guys you haven't been at the last two meals." Haymitch says.

"Not that that is surprising." Johanna says giving a pointed look to my stomach. I scowl.

"Sorry we haven't been there, we had a really stressful day. I guess we came back and fell asleep." Peeta says closing the door behind our guests.

"Peeta why don't you take a walk with me? I want to discuss some stuff with you." Haymitch says opening the door again, and walks out with Peeta trailing behind.

"God Everdeen that stomach is almost bigger than you. How many months are you now?" Johanna asks while she laughs.

"I could pop any day, considering I think I am at almost nine months now." I say, grinning at Johanna.

"So you and Gale aren't a thing right?" She asks almost shyly. My voice catches in my throat, I've never seen this side of Johanna before. I clear my throat before answering.

"Nope. He's like my brother." I answer. My curiosity wins out and I found myself nearly shouting, "Why?"

"Oh, I umm… I kind of like him. But he probably doesn't like me back so it's cool." She says shyly again. I hear a tentative knock on my door and then Prim comes in.

"Hey Prim! Have you ever heard Gale mention anything about Johanna?" I ask, while Johanna shoots me an annoyed look.

"Yeah actually, he walked me here he said something about Johanna's eyes and that they sparkle. And something else about maybe wanting to take her out sometime. Which is kind of pointless there is nothing fun to do here except go into the woods or play hide and seek in the laundry area." Prim says as she sits on my bed, I pat the spot next to me so she knows it is okay to move up more.

"Johanna you should start hitting on him or something. Flirt! I can help you with your hair and maybe a little makeup to make your sparkly eyes pop more." I tease.

We spend the next hour talking about Johanna and Gale if they were ever to get together. And we teased each other a lot. When they left Peeta came in and when I asked what he and Haymitch talked about he refused to tell me. Probably just Peeta's feelings on him being a dad.

I sit at the table in the cafeteria while Peeta gets food. Gale and Johanna have been spending more and more time together and I see them walk through the cafeteria doors, but Gale stops her for a second and asks something which she responds by shouting out "FUCK YES!" and she kisses him full on the mouth.

My back has been hurting all day and baby has been kicking. I feel my stomach tense and think that it is more Braxton Hicks contractions, so I simply adjust myself a little to become more comfortable. Peeta sits next to me and gives me my food which I wolf down like always. Johanna and Gale walk towards us hand in hand to which Peeta raises an eyebrow at but doesn't question.

"Hey brainless did you hear? Gale finally got enough balls to ask me out. And I said yes!" She says setting down her food next to Gale's. I feel a warm gush between my legs and freeze. When I can move again I smile.

"That's great Johanna! But I think my water just broke." I say.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Here' chapter 8nhope you**_** like**_** and don't be afraid to REVIEW. :) **_

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_"Hey brainless did you hear? Gale finally got enough balls to ask me out. And I said yes!" She says setting down her food next to Gale's. I feel a warm gush between my legs and freeze. When I can move again I smile._

_"That's great Johanna! But I think my water just broke." I say._

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Johanna's face looks panicked as she looks at me then to Peeta then me again. Peeta is helping me off the bench. Gale, who is still ignoring me but I guess he moved on because he and Johanna are a thing now, has a look of concern on his face. Annie and Finnick approach the table unaware of what is going on.

"What happened to Johanna's face?" Finnick asks setting down his tray.

"My water broke." I say nonchalantly and Peeta and I begin to hobble away. Finnick and Annie are immediately at my side. Finnick supporting one side of me and Peeta the other, I double over as another contraction hits and I fight back the urge to yell.

We eventually make it to the hospital where we are greeted by Prim, and my mother. They immediately notice the way I am draped between Finnick and Peeta with Annie, Johanna, and Gale trailing after us. I am placed into a wheel chair where a nurse tries to take me into a room without Peeta. I place my feet firmly on the ground which stops the wheel chair.

"Only Peeta." I manage to gasp out and then I nearly growl as the nurse doesn't relent and tries to keep going.

"ONLY PEETA!" I yell causing nearly everyone in the waiting room to look at me. Peeta breaks through the wall of nurses attempting to hold him back and rushes to my side. The nurse lets go of the wheel chair and leads us into the room.

A doctor checks how far dilated I am, and I grimance at the unfamiliar feeling down there.

"Ms. Everdeen, unfortunately you are too far dilated for any medicine to help the pain." The doctor says. I squeeze Peeta's hand as a contraction racks through my body.

"It's okay Katniss. You can do this." Peeta says soothingly. Nearly another hour passes before I see the doctor again.

"It's time for you to push." The doctor says. I nod and look at Peeta knowing that fear reflects in my eyes. He gives my hand a slight squeeze of reassurance. The next contraction hits my body and I push with all of my might. I know I must be crushing Peeta's hand but he doesn't care. After the pain has subsided he says something encouraging and super sweet that makes me lose my temper.

"PEETA! STOP BEING SO DAMN KIND TO ME! I DON'T DESERVE IT! I DON'T DESERVE YOU! NOW SHUT UP WHILE I HAVE OUR BABY!" I yell at him. He looks slightly startled but he knows that I don't ever want him to shut up. I love hearing his voice, melodic and kind. I push again when the next contraction hits. One of the nurses is talking to me.

"It's okay Ms. Everdeen. Two more pushes and you can see your baby." She says and then she gets up to grab a towel.

"Oh would you shut up! You sicken me. Do you even know the pain that I am going through?! I wouldn't be Ms. Everdeen if Peeta could find the balls to purpose to me!" I scream as another wave of pain hits me. Peeta looks shocked and he turns a shade of red that I have never seen him wear before. I let out a hysterical laugh as I push again. The doctor yells that the head was out. I can't seem to stop laughing. I am laughing at the idea that two nineteen year olds who have been injured so many times that they sometimes can't tell real from fake are becoming parents in a matter of minutes. Soon Peeta lets out a low chuckle and the doctor and nurse look at us like we have lost our minds. In a way we have. I push again while still laughing.

"Congratulations, it's a girl! The doctor says holding up my beautiful daughter who lets out a small cry. Peeta leaves my side for a second to cut the umbilical cord. A moment later my daughter is brought to me wrapped in a light pink blanket and a small pink hat. I smile as hold her in my arms.

"Katniss, what are we going to name her?" Peeta asks me quietly and so gently.

"Willow Rue-ella Leigh Mellark." I say looking at our daughter. Who is sleeping quietly in my arms.

"My last name?" Peeta asks surprised.

"Peeta," I look at him. "I think it's pretty safe to say that we'll be together forever." Pulling my gaze away from Peeta's I stare at Willow until my eyelids feel heavy and Peeta take Willow. Before I slip into sleep I ask Peeta to do one thing.

"Tell them that we are okay and that the baby was born and is healthy. Don't tell them her name or gender yet, I want to do that." I say as I slip into unconsciousness. I wake to a screaming Willow and a worried Peeta trying to calm her down by rocking her and making soothing sounds.

"Peeta, she's hungry" I say as I open my arms and Peeta sets her down in them. I breastfeed Willow and once she falls asleep again I stare at her more.

"Your family wasn't happy when I didn't tell them the name or gender. I managed barely though." Peeta says softly.

"Help me into a wheel chair and we can go introduce her to her new family." I say sitting up despite the soreness I encounter. I stand shakily but with Peeta's help I manage to get in the wheel chair with Willow safely in my arms. He wheels me out slowly I notice that Prim, my mother, Gale, Johanna, Finnick, and Annie are all waiting in the waiting room having a loud conversation. Nobody notices us at first. But then Prim shoots up from her chair and releases a cry of joy as she sees me holding the small pink bundle. With everyone's eyes are on me now.

"You guys I would like you to meet my daughter Willow Rue-ella Leigh Mellark, 8lbs 11oz born August 15." I say smiling proudly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here is the next chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! No flames though, only constructive helpful reviews! Thank you**

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Congratulations go around and people want to hold her. The only ones I trust got to hold my daughter. Johanna did not want anything to do with touching Willow. Eventually Willow wakes up again and begins crying, Peeta wheels us back into the room where he helps me back into bed and I feed Willow. I pass out again and fall into a dreamless sleep. I wake up groggily and see Peeta asleep in a hard plastic chair that he pulled up next to my bed. I scoot over in my bed and I shake him awake.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asks with a sleep slurred voice.

"Come to bed, there's enough room." I say quietly so I don't wake up Willow.

Peeta doesn't even give this a second thought and climbs into my bed. I snuggle into his side and I hear his breathing even out. I watch Peeta sleep. Before I can stop myself my hand is gently tracing his face. Willow stirs and lets out a breathy sigh. I can literally feel my love for these two people grow beyond what I ever thought was capable for me. After about an hour Prim pokes her head into the room and sees me awake but in Peeta's arms.

"I'll come back later." She whispers.

"No, let me get up and we can talk." I say untangling myself from Peeta's limbs. I use whatever abdominal strength that I have left to help me sit up. I slip on my slippers and carefully pick up Willow, not trusting her to be in the room with a sleeping Peeta. What happens if she wakes up, and Peeta doesn't? So I grab Willow and slowly walk to the door.

"What'd you want to talk about?" I ask as we walk down the hallway.

"I just wanted to talk with my big sister. I want to make sure that even though Willow is here that we can still be sisters and still be close." Prim says with cautiousness edging her voice.

"Of course we can. Just because Willow is here doesn't mean anything has changed between us. I love you little duck." I say somberly.

"I love you to Katniss." Prim says. "I wonder what Buttercup would do if we put him in a little tie." Prim giggles and I giggle with her. For the next few hours Prim and I talk and laugh as we walk through the halls of the hospital.

"Prim, I got to go back now, Peeta's going to have a heart attack if he wakes up and Willow and I aren't there." I say as we near the maternity part of the hospital.

Prim nods and escorts me back to my room. I give her a hug then enter the small hospital room. I look around the lights are still dimmed but Peeta's not in the bed. I hear sobbing and then a crack comes from the bathroom. I rush to the bathroom and open the door. Peeta is sitting on the edge of the bathtub sobbing, his pupils dilated so much that there is almost no iris. Peeta looks at me and then Willow.

"Katniss, go back to Gale he wants to see his child. Go have a life and stop liking me out of pity." Peeta sobs. I see the shard of glass from the mirror in his hand and the way its positioned over his wrist.

"Peeta, I am going to go set Willow Mellark down and then we are going to talk okay?" I ask carefully.

"Fine, she isn't a Mellark she's a Hawthorne or an Everdeen or whatever you guys decided the last name was going to be." He says still sobbing. I leave the room and set Willow down; she looks at me with Peeta's alert blue eyes. I smile a little. Entering the bathroom again I see Peeta mumbling something about not wanting to live if I was with that hypocrite. I sigh and approach Peeta. He still has the glass posed above his wrist but the grip on it has tightened making small rivers of blood to roll from his palm.

"Peeta, I love you. There is no way I could ever be with Gale. You and I have been through so much together already and I can't wait to tackle more obstacles with you by my side as my forever. Our daughter Willow she has your bright blue eyes already and she's only a day old. The way she looks at me reminds me so much of you. Peeta if it weren't for the fact that she has my hair and she is a girl, I would think that it is a baby you. Peeta I love you so much. Please come back to me." I say seriously looking into his eyes. His hand lets go of the large piece of glass and it shatters on the ground.

"When I woke up and you and Willow weren't here I thought that you lied to me about Willow being mine. And that you left me to be with Gale. I couldn't live with myself." He said sobbing; I sit down next to him on the tub's edge and pull him into me letting my shirt be soaked with his tears. I don't mind and I let him cry. We sit here like this until he pulls himself together. I bandage his hands and Peeta starts to clean up the mess. Willow cries out for her parents so I leave Peeta in the bathroom picking up shards of glass.

I sing to Willow-

_Deep in the meadow, _

_Under the Willow._

I start, Willow looks at me when she hears her name, I smile and finish the song. I walk into the bathroom and notice all of the glass has been carefully picked up and put in the waste bin. Peeta looks at me from his spot at the bathtub where he just finished washing out the blood from the tub.

"Peeta would you like to hold _your_ daughter?" I ask stressing that it is his daughter.

"I would love to." Peeta says looking unsure of himself.

"Here, support her head and her butt. One hand under there. Perfect!" I say guiding him through how to hold Willow. "Move her closer to your chest she can't bite." I say pushing his arms in to his chest. Peeta begins to relax and Willow looks at her father. I grinned as Peeta bopped Willows nose and she babbled something that sounded happy. My love grew stronger for Willow in that minute, but even stronger for Peeta in that instant.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Here is the belated chapter 10! I hope you enjoy. I had finals this week so I had a difficult time finding time to create this chapter. Hope you enjoy! **_

_**-S**_

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I was discharged from the hospital later that day. Peeta carried all of the stuff and I carried Willow. Once we got back to our small compartment I was summoned to command almost immediately. A knock on the door startled me and Willow. Peeta answered the door and Gale stood there.

"Sorry Catnip and Bread-Boy you're both needed in command." Gale says. I smile at my old nickname; at least he isn't so bitter to me now that he has Johanna. I follow Gale and Peeta trails behind, I have Willow in my arms. We go to a floor that I haven't been to in a while, not since I first arrived. I feel Peeta's hand on my lower back, gently guiding me and protecting me. Willow slowly falls asleep in my arms while walking. Gale stops abruptly in front of an unmarked door. The doors slide open revealing a series of more unmarked doors, but they have windows so I can see into them. I see Beetee in a control room full of computers; he sits in a wheel chair and types away furiously. We continue on down a hallway. Willow begins to squirm a little as we near the end of our walk. Gale knocks on a closed door that has a large black C on it.

"ENTER." A voice calls from behind the door.

Gale enters the door and holds it open for Peeta and I. I enter and I hear Peeta and I gasp at the same time. The command center is huge and the walls are covered in maps and different documents. Plutarch Heavensbee and President Coin stand next to each other watching Peeta and I. I have been in here before but it has been changed and the large square table that was in here before has been exchanged for a large round table. I see Finnick and Annie sitting at the table as well as Johanna and a man I recognize as an army captain named Boggs.

"Katniss, Peeta welcome. Please have a seat." Plutarch says gesturing to the table.

Peeta pulls out a chair for me and I sit there with the small pink bundle in my arms. Peeta sits next to me and lays a hand gently on my leg just above my knee. Gale sits next to Johanna, and Finnick and Annie stay standing.

"As you know we are trying to over throw the capitol, however with the Mockingjay out of commission for the last few months it has been difficult. Katniss will resume her duties as Mockingjay next week and Peeta will help her with the propos. In two months' time all except Mrs.O'Dair are going to the capitol in a unit we are calling the star squad. Plutarch has the map of what you are going into." President Coin explains cordially. Plutarch takes her place and I expect him to begin pointing to one of the paper maps on the walls but instead he reaches his chubby hand into his pocket and pulls out a small rectangular block.

I look at him in curiously and he pulls the block apart. Peeta's hand tenses as he sees this. I wonder what torture device this reminds Peeta of. I stand up with Peeta so he can feel safer and that way if something happens we can leave so I can pull him back. I notice Johanna and Gale are also standing. Peeta's hand finds the small of my back and we all stare intently at the small object in Plutarch's hands. He whispers a word and then a projection of a series of lines and blocks appears blinking lights in different colors show up at the edge and the corners of the different blocks.

"The blinking lights represent different traps that have been activated and this is the area that you will be taking to get to the president's mansion." Plutarch explains and then Paylor another captain explains what the traps are they vary from tracker jackers to a thing called the meat grinder. Finnick and I look at each other.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen." He says quietly.

"To the 76th Hunger Games!" I yell out. Everyone looks at me, even Willow. Peeta tenses a little more and I look at him, he shakes his head to say that he is fine. Plutarch, Coin, Paylor, and the other people that aren't victors don't understand the reference but to Johanna, Finnick, Annie, Peeta and I it looks like another arena, except this year's games takes place in the capitol. Willow looks at me and Peeta and something flickers in her eyes, realization maybe of what she could lose. Plutarch grimaces as Willow shrieks and cries. Peeta and I excuse ourselves from the room and attempt to calm Willow down, to no avail. Beetee races past us in his wheel chair that he no doubt added an extra engine or something for extra speed. He notices us and backs up.

"Follow me." He says and he turns around and races down a different hallway. Peeta and I go as quickly as we can with Willow still bellowing. Beetee stops in front of a door and tells us to go in. Upon entering the room I quickly notice that it looks just like a meadow. There are flowers that give off a subtle sweet scent and even grass and a few birds flickering around the few trees that are in the room. Peeta looks around and breathes in his entire body relaxes almost instantly.

I sit on the ground and place Willow gently in my lap. She calms a little but still cries loudly and freely. Peeta sits across from me, with a little hesitation he places a hand on Willow's belly and begins rubbing in gentle small circles.

"Peeta I'm going to sing, you should too. It might help." I say taking Peeta's free hand in my free hand.

"I'm not very good but I will if you want me to." He says squeezing my hand as a reassuring gesture.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow." I sing Peeta looks at me and starts from where I left off.

"A bed of grass a soft green pillow." He sings as my mouth falls open to the sound of Peeta's voice. If smooth caramel had a sound than that is what Peeta's voice is. I mean I always knew he had a way with words and was artistic and could act the pants right off you, but I never knew he could sing, ever. I continue the song with Peeta, his low smooth voice overlapping and making my higher pitched melodic voice making a medley of love, perfection, and calmness. By the end of the song Willow has stopped crying and looks at me and Peeta entranced. She babbles something and Peeta sweeps her out of my lap and into his arms.

I begin to feel my eyes fill with tears at the sight that is before me. I quickly swipe at my face with my shirt as the first tear falls. I move so that my side is pressed against Peeta's and that my hand is resting right over Willow's little foot. She falls asleep holding onto Peeta's finger. We stay together watching our little miracle sleep. When my legs get pins and needles in them I sigh slightly and know that it's time for us to go back to command.

"Peeta come on we have to go back to command, you can carry her if you want." I say quietly not wanting to disturb the peace of this moment.

"Okay Katniss, let's go. But I have to tell you something really secretive before we go." Peeta says carefully pulling himself off the ground.

"Okay?" I say righting myself before I lose feeling in my legs.

"Come here." He says making a curling motion with his finger. I take a few steps towards him.

"Closer." He says, I take two more cautious steps towards him.

"Closer." He says reaching towards me with one hand and pulling me into him, our foreheads are touching and we are sharing the same air. The whole moment feels so intimate.

"Katniss I have to tell you that…" He trails off his sentence and puts his mouth right next to my ear, he warm breathe causing my skin to crawl with pleasure. "I love you and our child so much." He whispers. His quiet voice makes me shiver pleasantly. Before I can even form a response his mouth is pressed against mine. The kiss gentle and sweet soon becomes passionate as my tongue reaches out for his and they dance together. My arms wrap around his neck and his free arm pulls my face closer to him. There is still space between us because of Willow but I feel closer to Peeta than I have ever before. We break the kiss and my forehead leans against his.

"We should go." He whispers. I nod in response and pull away from him. We walk silently to Command again and I turn to him before we enter.

"By the way Peeta I love you too." I say breathlessly, Peeta breaks out into a grin and I push the door open and brace myself for the chaos that will inevitably ensue.


End file.
